The document discusses the various media technologies used during the construction, research, planning, and evaluation stages of a media project. It describes using Premiere Pro for editing video clips and adding effects, Photoshop to design packaging, Blogger for sharing work and research, and Prezi for initial storyboarding. Hardware like cameras, tripods, and a green screen were also utilized. For the evaluation, Pixton was used to create a comic response, PowerPoint for presenting answers, and Blogger for ongoing research sharing. Overall, a wide range of software and hardware technologies were leveraged at different stages to complete the media project and its evaluation.

1. QUESTION 4
HOW DID YOU USE MEDIA
TECHNOLOGIES IN THE
CONSTRUCTION, RESEARCH,
PL ANNING AND EVALUATION
STAGES ?

2. INTRODUCTION
• Me and my group used wide variety of programs individually and as a group during all of our production
stages and creation of different products. Although we did have previous experience from the AS media
course we were still astounded at how much more we learnt and developed our skills on some programs in
particular.
• Even if I had not used the program before or had very little understanding of how it initially worked I was
determined to learn and expand my field of programs. I believe I have done this and I am now able to pick
between a large number of programs confidently when completing a piece of work, knowing that I will be
able to use it successfully and completely understand a large range of its functions.
• I made significant progress developing my skills during my AS course , although I had a very limited
understanding of computer programs, by the end of my AS media course I felt I had developed a huge
amount. Now I am nearing the end of my A2 course I now realise how far my skills have developed, I have
not only learnt how to use a umber of ne programs, I have learnt to use them in great depth and detail. As
well as developing my skills concerning programs I already had basic knowledge of.
• Our groups and my individual progression has also demonstrated how technology has moved on with time.
We have moved from a basic print form of media to a internet frenzied society when we can share our views
or comment on others by using a single click.
• This can be linked with cultivation theory by George Gerbner and Larry Gross in 1976. The theory suggests
that exposure to forms of media such as television over a prolonged period of time cultivates the
perceptions of the viewers and their ideas of reality. This was demonstrated through the creation of the
internet, many people in modern times let the internet and in particular social media dictate their entire lives
therefore altering their perception of reality.

3. HARDWARE
• Throughout the creation and production processes of our media product and ancillary tasks I used a number of different forms of
hardware which were both essential in the creation of the product or improved the production process.
• Green Screen: This was new type of hardware that our school only acquired this year so I had no previous experience of using it or
any ideas of what it could be used to create. Whilst setting the Green Screen up we had to make sure it was not going to move
during filming as this would ruin the effect we secured it with hooks screwed into the wall which we hung it off. After this we realised
t may swing around slightly so we used a piece of strong tape along the bottom edge to fully secure it during the filming process.
After this I checked that there would be no ‘hot spots’ on the screen itself, these can be created from glaring lighting behind or in
front of the screen itself ( demonstrated by the image). The room we had chosen to film the Green Screen clip in had low strength
lighting that was distributed evenly and not concentrated in a single spot , therefore reducing the risk of ‘hot spots’ being created.
• We used the green screen in the video answer to question one of my evaluation. Whilst speaking about our music video we edited
our original music video onto the screen placed behind us. This worked really effectively as the aspects of the video we were
speaking abut during the video were shown directly behind us, making it easier for the viewers to understand. We created this effect
through the program: Adobe Premiere Proto alter the hue and colour of the clip to blend in with the surroundings and seem like it
was being projected behind us. This demonstrates how we were able to combine the use of hardware and software to create a
fantastic end product.
• Another example of hardware we used was during the filming process. We used Cameras (Nikon D5500 DSLR), Go Pros (hero2),
Head mounts and tripods. In my AS media studies course we did use tripods, DSLRs and handheld cameras so I did already have
some previous experience with these, however I learnt how to use some of the more advanced features the DSLR camera offered.
Such as the huge range of adjustability of the ISO settings, the camera enables the user to adjust from 0 right up to 25600 ISO, this
enabled us to take video and photos in low lighting conditions without any problems concerning blurriness or definition of the
picture. The camera also offered a huge range of scene modes, such as: close up, night portrait, night landscape, we quickly
discovered when filming and capturing shots in the dark and somewhat gloomy abandoned warehouse that picture quality severely
diminished. Once switching to the scene mode of Night landscape it created a much more vivid picture.

4. SOFTWARE• We used a variety of different forms of software to create our main product and ancillary tasks, such as: Premiere Pro,
Photoshop, Prezi, Adobe after effects and Blogger.
• Premier pro was primarily used for editing the main music video although we did use it in other ways such as editing the
video that answers question one of my evaluation. I found premier pro quite difficult to use at first but another member of
our team began to talk me through it and I am now able to use all of the basic functions as well as some complex ones.
• I was able to cut and edit clips together from the filming we had done on that day as well as include a soundtrack alongside
the clips to make sure the sound was lined up with the correct part of our video. To do this I used the cut tool and the cursor
to connect the clips up once again. This demonstrates the basic function of Premiere Pro. However I did also learn to use
some more complex functions such as effects that could be placed into the video, an example of this would be near the start
of our video where multiple pictures are laid over one another, although this was a very complex thing to do the end result
was worth all of the work as I believe it looks fantastic. Using this program enabled me to get the correct message we
wanted across to our audience through the use of fast paced editing.
• I used Photoshop to create the CD Digipak, I did not have a lot of experience using Photoshop before creating the digipak,
but I developed my skills massively through the process. I firstly stated out by importing the base image of our band
members stood around my car next created a second layer on which I used the zoom tool to zoom right in and outline the
band members and the car pixel by pixel in bold black, although this was an extremely time consuming process the end
result gave the exact effect I was looking for, it made the image looked like the band members and car were cartoons placed
in the real world. This helped us to appeal to the ’indie’ audience more as it shows we are individual and don’t really fit in to
society. I then proceeded to add the animation writing onto another layer and the front cover of the pack was then
completed.
• We used blogger primarily for our main hub of our project, we each had to create a blog o which we posted things such as:
textual analysis’, theorists and theories, Blogger is very straightforward and easy to use, it enables other bloggers to view
your work and leave feedback on posts. I also like the function that enables you to later edit posts and improve them. This
was very useful during our Research and Planning feedback as I was able to go back and make the recommended
improvements t work.
• I used Prezi to create our original storyboard right at the beginning o the course, although this is not its primary purpose I
found it very useful when performing this task. I was able to put each clip and section of the video into a different bubble so
it was easy to read and order making a clear layout to later base our work on. I preferred to do this on Prezi rather than
paper as it can e edited at a later date

5. EVALUATION
• I used a wide range of media technologies to answer the 4 questions of my evaluation.
Some examples of technologies used are: Prezi, Pixton, Blogger and PowerPoint
• I used the Pixton website for question one of my evaluation. Pixton is a website that
enables the user to make their own comic strip this is fun and quite easy to use, it is useful
for explaining something or for comparison tests as you an have two characters speaking
about different things. I really enjoyed making my Pixton and believe it shows a clear
answer to the question in which every aspect is spoken about.
• I have used PowerPoint to create this answer to question 4 , it is a very good program to
use as it enables simple and easy slides to be made in a sequence that can be played as a
slides show. I found this very useful as I was able to review what my work would look like at
the end of completing each slide.